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Westford puts foot down on recycling policy

By Sarah Favot, sfavot@lowellsun.com

Updated:
02/11/2013 07:50:36 AM EST

Sue Thomas of Westford, who is on the town's Recycling Commission, has been urging that mandatory recycling be enforced. Westford has single-stream recycling, and residents can use either of both containers. SUN/Julia Malakie

WESTFORD -- With the turn of the calendar, the town began to enforce its mandatory recycling policy enacted by selectmen in 1994, and those who don't recycle will risk their trash not getting picked up.

The move to mandatory recycling is happening across Massachusetts.

The state Department of Environmental Protection estimates 26 communities in the state enforced a mandatory recycling policy as of January.

Several communities have been implementing different measures aimed at protecting the environment. This year, Concord banned the sale of single-serving water bottles. Brookline banned the use of Styrofoam in town for takeout food containers and beverages.

In Westford, the impetus for the move to enforce mandatory recycling is financial.

The town's Recycling Commission was asked by the Budget Solutions Taskforce, a committee charged with coming up with ways to save money and increase revenue, about how solid-waste expenses could be reduced.

Enforcement of the town's recycling policy was one of the items that came up because it would reduce the amount of tonnage the town sent to the incinerator.

The Recycling Commission estimates the town will save $100,000 if every trash customer is compliant with the recycling policy.

Although the town has had the policy since 1994, the solid-waste contractor wasn't enforcing it for trash left out on the curbs of Westford streets.

Now that will change.

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Sue Thomas, a member of the Recycling Commission, said the last time the commission surveyed residents, which was a few years ago, about 75 percent of trash users recycled.

She said now that the town is enforcing its mandatory policy, not much will change for residents.

Residents are now asked to keep their recycle bins out on the curb, even if they are emptied, until trash is picked up.

And those who don't recycle will risk their trash not being picked up.

Sue Thomas of Westford, who is on the town's Recycling Commission, has been urging that mandatory recycling be enforced. Westford has single-stream recycling, so glass, metal, plastics and paper can all go in the bins together without sorting. SUN photos/Julia Malakie

Trash haulers will have discretion. Only those who are flagrantly putting recycling in their trash will be penalized, Thomas said.

"No one is taking the time to rifle through your trash," she said.

Thomas said feedback has been largely positive and residents are happy the town will recycle more.

Some have emailed commission members, saying they feel as though their liberty is being infringed upon with the policy, although Thomas adds, most of those people preface their emails by saying they recycle already.

"Nobody has come to us and said, 'we disagree with recycling,' " she said.

The city of Lowell also has been working on improving the number of residents who recycle.

The city received a $50,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, which helped hire a person to oversee the recycling enforcement.

The city found that just about one-third of eligible trash customers were putting out recycling, according to Gunther Wellenstein, the city's recycling coordinator and solid-waste manager.

Six months after an education and outreach program began, there was a 15 percent improvement in the number of customers recycling in those study areas and a significant reduction in the amount of trash the city sends to the incinerator, Wellenstein said.

The reduction in trash saved the city about $37,000, Wellenstein said.

Those who do not follow the ordinance may be fined.

Wellenstein said after a resident receives three warnings, a $25 fine may be issued for not separating recyclables.

"Our goal is for us to persuade people that the diversion of recyclable material out of the trash is convenient, easy and free," said Wellenstein.

Westford opted not to impose a fine, one of the reasons being that the Recycling Commission does not employ staff that would help oversee a fine-structured program, Thomas said.

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